Blue ammonia an attractive pathway to decarbonize conventional ammonia plants

Ammonia is one of the basic ingredients for the fertilizer and mining explosive industries. Conventional ammonia production technologies have a high environmental impact owing to its high carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This study evaluates the prospects of blue ammonia through integration of different available technologies within conventional ammonia plants: the Kellogg Braun & Root (KBR) Purifier process, Topsoe and the Linde Ammonia process. Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) and Gas Switching Reforming (GSR) technology are attractive pathways toward blue ammonia due to cost effectiveness and ease of implementation. Blue ammonia technology development has its own challenges to overcome while it has massive advantages and opportunities like blue ammonia utilization as an alternative fuel, availability of pre-existing infrastructure available for storage, enhanced oil production through CO2 pressurization. Given the increasing demand and international ammonia trade, advanced blue ammonia production from different available technologies like CCS & GSR offers an alluring way for natural gas exporting regions to contribute to global decarbonization.